Mere presence is not enough: Responsive support in a virtual world

Abstract: When individuals are faced with novel or threatening situations, the presence of a trusted companion should reduce anxiety and promote feelings of security. Attachment theory assumes, however, that mere presence is not sufficient for establishing security; an attachment figure must also be...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Journal of Experimental Social Psychology Vol. 48; no. 1; pp. 37 - 45
Autores principales: Kane, Heidi S., McCall, Cade, Collins, Nancy L., Blascovich, Jim
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Academic Press Inc. Jan2012
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ssf&AN=67715952&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ssf
    uiTerm: 67715952
    longDbName: Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson)
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        00221031
        JEZ
      jtl: Journal of Experimental Social Psychology
      issn: 00221031
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: Jan2012
      vid: 48
      iid: 1
      pid: 735
      pub: Academic Press Inc.
    artinfo:
      ui:
        67715952
        10.1016/j.jesp.2011.07.001
      ppf: 37
      ppct: 8
      formats:
      tig:
        atl: Mere presence is not enough: Responsive support in a virtual world
      aug:
        au:
          Kane, Heidi S.
          McCall, Cade
          Collins, Nancy L.
          Blascovich, Jim
        affil:
          Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, USA
          Max Planck Institute for Human Cognition and Brain Sciences, Germany
          Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, USA
      su:
        Virtual reality
        Anxiety
        Emotions
        Behavior
        Security (Psychology)
        Psychological stress
        Immunomodulators
        Task analysis
      sug:
        subj:
          Virtual reality
          Anxiety
          Emotions
          Behavior
          Security (Psychology)
          Psychological stress
          Immunomodulators
          Task analysis
      keyword:
        Adult attachment
        Responsiveness
        Social support
        Stress
        Couple
        Adult attachment
        Responsiveness
        Social support
        Stress
        Couple
      ab: Abstract: When individuals are faced with novel or threatening situations, the presence of a trusted companion should reduce anxiety and promote feelings of security. Attachment theory assumes, however, that mere presence is not sufficient for establishing security; an attachment figure must also be attentive and emotionally responsive. To test this idea, participants came to the lab with their romantic partner and completed a threatening cliff-walking task in a digital immersive virtual environment. The presence and nonverbal support behavior (attentive vs. inattentive) of their partner was experimentally manipulated. Results indicated that participants in the attentive-partner condition experienced the task as less stressful than those who were alone; they also reported feeling more secure during the task and were less vigilant of their partner''s behavior compared to those in the inattentive-partner condition. Those in the inattentive-partner condition felt less cared for and kept greater physical distance from their partner on a subsequent task. These findings suggest that human beings are predisposed to monitor their social environment for signs of responsiveness, and that perceived responsiveness, not mere presence, is the key modulator of emotional security.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
    refInfo:
    copyright:
      @attributes:
        flag: N
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N